Toward efficient catalysts for electrochemical CO2 conversion to C2 products

With impressive progress in carbon capture and renewable energy, carbon dioxide (CO₂) conversion into useful chemicals has become a potential tool against climate change. Electrochemical CO₂ conversion into C₂ products (ethylene and ethanol) is an especially economically promising approach and an active research area. Nonetheless, catalyst layer design for CO₂ conversion is challenging because of the complex CO₂-to-C₂ reaction pathways. In this review, we highlight key ideas in catalyst layer design for CO₂ conversion to C₂ in the past few years. We identify three fundamental principles to control catalyst selectivity—local CO₂ and CO concentration, local pH, and intermediate–catalyst interaction. To achieve these goals, we introduce design strategies for both catalytic materials and overall catalyst layer morphology.     

Ultrasound Microbubbles Enhance the Efficacy of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Therapy for the Treatment of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

The application of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) to the round window membrane (RWM) is an emerging treatment for inner ear diseases. RWM permeability is the key factor for efficient IGF-1 delivery. Ultrasound microbubbles (USMBs) can increase drug permeation through the RWM. In the present study, the enhancing effect of USMBs on the efficacy of IGF-1 application and the treatment effect of USMB-mediated IGF-1 delivery for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) were investigated. Forty-seven guinea pigs were assigned to three groups: the USM group, which received local application of recombinant human IGF-1 (rhIGF-1, 10 µg/µL) following application of USMBs to the RWM; the RWS group, which received IGF-1 application alone; and the saline-treated group. The perilymphatic concentration of rhIGF-1 in the USM group was 1.95- and 1.67- fold of that in the RWS group, 2 and 24 h after treatment, respectively. After 5 h of 118 dB SPL noise exposure, the USM group had the lowest threshold shift in auditory brainstem response, least loss of cochlear outer hair cells, and least reduction in the number of synaptic ribbons on postexposure day 28 among the three groups. The combination of USMB and IGF-1 led to a better therapeutic response to NIHL. Two hours after treatment, the USM group had significantly higher levels of Akt1 and Mapk3 gene expression than the other two groups. The most intense immunostaining for phosphor-AKT and phospho-ERK1/2 was detected in the cochlea in the USM group. These results suggested that USMB can be applied to enhance the efficacy of IGF-1 therapy in the treatment of inner ear diseases.     

Betulinic Acid Affects the Energy-Related Proteomic Profiling in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a 5-year survival rate of <8%. Therefore, finding new treatment strategies against PDAC cells is an imperative issue. Betulinic acid (BA), a plant-derived natural compound, has shown great potential to combat cancer owing to its versatile physiological functions. In this study, we observed the impacts of BA on the cell viability and migratory ability of PDAC cell lines, and screened differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) by an LC-MS/MS-based proteomics analysis. Our results showed that BA significantly inhibited the viability and migratory ability of PDAC cells under a relatively low dosage without affecting normal pancreatic cells. Moreover, a functional analysis revealed that BA-induced downregulation of protein clusters that participate in mitochondrial complex 1 activity and oxidative phosphorylation, which was related to decreased expressions of RNA polymerase mitochondrial (POLRMT) and translational activator of cytochrome c oxidase (TACO1), suggesting that the influence on mitochondrial function explains the effect of BA on PDAC cell growth and migration. In addition, BA also dramatically increased Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) expression and decreased NLR family CARD domain-containing protein 4 (NLRC4) expression, which may be involved in the dampening of PDAC migration. Notably, altered expression patterns of APOA1 and NLRC4 indicated a favorable clinical prognosis of PDAC. Based on these findings, we identified potential proteins and pathways regulated by BA from a proteomics perspective, which provides a therapeutic window for PDAC.     

Studies of Coumarin Derivatives for Constitutive Androstane Receptor (CAR) Activation

Constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) activation has found to ameliorate diabetes in animal models. However, no CAR agonists are available clinically. Therefore, a safe and effective CAR activator would be an alternative option. In this study, sixty courmarin derivatives either synthesized or purified from Artemisia capillaris were screened for CAR activation activity. Chemical modifications were on position 5,6,7,8 with mono-, di-, tri-, or tetra-substitutions. Among all the compounds subjected for in vitro CAR activation screening, 6,7-diprenoxycoumarin was the most effective and was selected for further preclinical studies. Chemical modification on the 6 position and unsaturated chains were generally beneficial. Electron-withdrawn groups as well as long unsaturated chains were hazardous to the activity. Mechanism of action studies showed that CAR activation of 6,7-diprenoxycoumarin might be through the inhibition of EGFR signaling and upregulating PP2Ac methylation. To sum up, modification mimicking natural occurring coumarins shed light on CAR studies and the established screening system provides a rapid method for the discovery and development of CAR activators. In addition, one CAR activator, scoparone, did showed anti-diabetes effect in db/db mice without elevation of insulin levels.     

Observation of two resonant structures in e+ e- -->pi+ pi- psi(2S) via initial-state radiation at Belle

The cross section for e+ e- --> pi+ pi- psi(2S) between threshold and sqrt[s]=5.5 GeV is measured using 673 fb(-1) of data on and off the Upsilon(4S) resonance collected with the Belle detector at KEKB. Two resonant structures are observed in the pi+ pi- psi(2S) invariant-mass distribution, one at 4361 +/- 9 +/- 9 MeV/c2 with a width of 74 +/- 15 +/- 10 MeV/c2, and another at 4664 +/- 11 +/- 5 MeV/c2 with a width of 48 +/- 15 +/- 3 MeV/c2, if the mass spectrum is parametrized with the coherent sum of two Breit-Wigner functions. These values do not match those of any of the known charmonium states.     

Observation of a charmoniumlike state produced in association with a J/psi in e+e- annihilation at sqrt[s] approximately equal to 10.6 GeV

We report the first observation of a charmoniumlike state recoiling from the J/psi in the inclusive process e+e- -->J/psi+anything at a mass of (3.943+/-0.006+/-0.006) GeV/c{2}. We also observe the decay of this state into D*D[over ] and determine its intrinsic width to be less than 52 MeV/c{2} at the 90% C.L. These results are obtained from a 357 fb{-1} data sample collected with the Belle detector near the Upsilon(4S) resonance, at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider.     

Secondary Metabolites from the Fruiting Bodies of Coriolopsis aspera in Vietnam and their Bioactivities

Chemistry of Natural Compounds -     

A New Seco-Abietanoid from the Bark of Cryptomeria japonica

Chemistry of Natural Compounds - A new seco-abietanoid, 12-hydroxy-6,7-seco-abieta-8,11,13-triene-6,7-dioic acid (1), was isolated from the methanol extract of the bark of Cryptomeria japonica. The...     

Insight into the thermal decomposition of kaolinite intercalated with potassium acetate: an evolved gas analysis

The thermal decomposition process of kaolinite–potassium acetate intercalation complex has been studied using simultaneous thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (TG-FTIR-MS). The results showed that the thermal decomposition of the complex took place in four temperature ranges, namely 50–100, 260–320, 320–550, and 650–780 °C. The maximal mass losses rate for the thermal decomposition of the kaolinite–potassium acetate intercalation complex was observed at 81, 296, 378, 411, 486, and 733 °C, which was attributed to (a) loss of the adsorbed water, (b) thermal decomposition of surface-adsorbed potassium acetate (KAc), (c) the loss of the water coordinated to potassium acetate in the intercalated kaolinite, (d) the thermal decomposition of intercalated KAc in the interlayer of kaolinite and the removal of inner surface hydroxyls, (e) the loss of the inner hydroxyls, and (f) the thermal decomposition of carbonate derived from the decomposition of KAc. The thermal decomposition of intercalated potassium acetate started in the range 320–550 °C accompanied by the release of water, acetone, carbon dioxide, and acetic acid. The identification of pyrolysis fragment ions provided insight into the thermal decomposition mechanism. The results showed that the main decomposition fragment ions of the kaolinite–KAc intercalation complex were water, acetone, carbon dioxide, and acetic acid. TG-FTIR-MS was demonstrated to be a powerful tool for the investigation of kaolinite intercalation complexes. It delivers a detailed insight into the thermal decomposition processes of the kaolinite intercalation complexes characterized by mass loss and the evolved gases.     

The Function of Self-Assembled Polyfluorene-Based π-Conjugated Supramolecular Structures Formed in Twisted Nematic Liquid Crystals

We demonstrate that the supramolecular structure can be formed through the fibrous self-assembly of the polyfluorene-based polymer F8BT in liquid crystal (LC) 5CB. With the utility of alignment layer, the F8BT molecules can be aligned and formed oriented polymer network. We found that the presence of oriented polymer network makes twisted nematic LC exhibit excellent electro-optical properties (EO) of driving voltage reduction and EO bump peak elimination. The polyfluorene-based supramolecular structure provides the function of stabilizing LC molecules. We consider this functional self-assembled network has potential to apply in various devices for the ability of improving performance in operating property.